Find the best deals for each month of the year

It’s the end of the season for retailers, but you have a couple more months to enjoy cuddly sweaters and scarves, now on clearance. However, not all cashmere is worth it, even at a discount. What you need to know:

GET GOOD FIBER Check the tag for two-ply yarn (two threads twisted together). One-ply is fragile and more susceptible to pilling and tearing. And skip the über-fuzzy — it feels nice new, but will sprout ugly pills in no time

SHY AWAY FROM SHEER Hold up the sweater and place your hand inside, behind the fabric. If you can see your hand, the material is insubstantial and probably won’t hold up well

LOOK WITHIN Turn a sweater inside out to see how it’s finished. If it’s knitted rather
than sewn together, and the cuffs and neck are knitted right to the body, it’s a keeper. Stitched seams are more likely to split and are a sign of lesser quality

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Robert Kent Canada Inc/Getty

February

Fitness Equipment

Burn off those Valentine's Day chocolates and save a bundle while you're at it — fitness equipment, such as treadmills and elliptical machines, is usually on sale this month. Before you get moving:

MIX IT UP Interval training is a simple way to burn fat fast. New to this kind of exercise? Try a machine like the stair climber that lets you alter your pace easily.

EASY DOES IT If larger exercise machines are out of your price range even at a discount, don't despair — look for low-tech fitness equipment, like a stability ball, instead.

WALK IT OFF Treadmills are sometimes thought of as boring, but these machines are about more than just walking in place. Look for models that will let you adjust the incline, and you'll be able to change up the intensity of a fantastic low-impact workout.

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March

Stainless Steel Flatware

Look for bargains on eating utensils — discounted this month to make way for new styles

GAUGE THE "GRADE" Look on packaging or pieces themselves for an "18/10" marking — 18 percent chromium and 10 percent nickel. Chromium gives flatware strength and keeps it from rusting, while nickel helps it resist acids and gives it a silver-like look.

SPOT-CHECK FOR SMOOTHNESS There should be no burrs or rough spots between the fork tines — pinch at the space and run your fingertips down it to check.

BROWSE THE BLADES Good knives are forged as one piece. The blade should be finely serrated, and have a little "give" so it won't break when cutting hard foods — grasp it at either end and flex to check for slight bendability.

ASSESS THE WEIGHT Hold the pieces in your hand — they should feel substantial.

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April

Digital Cameras

Retailers discount last year's models in the spring to make way for new ones. Here are tips for choosing a good one:

STOP COUNTING MEGAPIXELS (MP) For snapshots, 10MP is probably plenty — they can produce great prints up to 11" by 14".

SPLURGE ON A GOOD ZOOM INSTEAD A lens with a high optical zoom is worth the investment: 5x is good; 10x is excellent. (Ignore digital zoom, though. A function of a camera's software, it blows up an image as you shoot it and crops it off — it can yield pixelated photos.)

LOOK FOR IMAGE STABILIZATION Again, optical (rather than digital) image stabilization is the way to go, to help prevent blurry action shots.

TOWEL TIPS Choose 100 percent cotton — it’ll generally last longer than bamboo or other rayon blends. Choose selvaged (woven) edges, not hemmed. Hold a towel on either side of one end, and tug: If the decorative woven band “gives” as much as the terry part, it’s less likely to shrink.

SHEET SAVVY Again, cotton washes and wears best. For a crisp feel, pick percale; for soft and smooth, choose sateen. You won’t be able to feel a difference past a thread count of 500, so don’t pay for more. Look for “single-ply” to indicate use of a stronger thread.

In early summer, stores start making room for upcoming fall styles. Here's our guide for a long-lasting sofa or chair:

FAMILY-ROOM FABRICS Look for 100 percent polyester microfiber, which is durable and stain-resistant

FORMAL-ROOM PICKS Consider 100 percent–cotton chintz or a flat-weave fabric for a sleek look — these are tightly woven to last

SUNNY-ROOM SELECTIONS Check out Sunbrella fabrics, which are made to be fade-resistant

SIGNS OF QUALITY Inspect seat cushions to see if they are finished on both sides, can be flipped, and have zip-off covers (for cleaning). Ask what’s inside: You want a hardwood frame and high-resiliency (HR) foam

NO-NO FABRICS Skip blends made with acrylic or polyester — they will pill easily

UNNECESSARY STAIN PROTECTION Pass on this extra, even if the store offers it for free. Many fabrics are stain-treated when they’re manufactured, so additional coatings aren’t needed and can even cancel out the efficacy of the original treatment

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Kevin Sweeney/Studio D

July

Swimsuits

It's still hot out, but clothing stores want to move on to fall. When diving into the sale racks, look for quality waterwear:

FULL FABRIC LINING prevents show-through and preserves a suit's shape. (Lining in just a few spots can bunch up.) GHRI Textiles Director Kathleen Huddy says suits with color-matched linings are best, in case fabric peeks out while you're suited up.

LYCRA CONTENT of at least 18% prevents stretching out from numerous washings and wearings, and helps smooth out your body shape.

DOUBLE-STITCHING along seams, plus reinforcement stitching at key stress points (e.g., on straps), makes for a more durable suit.

LOTS OF LAYERS, such as skirts, drapes, and shirring, are great for concealing figure flaws. (But note: The more fabric a suit has, the longer it will take to dry.)

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Mitchell Funk/Getty Images

August

Patio Furniture

As barbecue season comes to a close, discounts on outdoor tables and chairs are cooking. Consider:

YOUR INVESTMENT Wood isn't cheap, but can last years. Plastic tends to be inexpensive, but can fade or crack from prolonged sun exposure. Furniture made of aluminum and coated steel is long-lasting but pricey.

YOUR YARD If your outdoor space gets a lot of direct sun, choose materials (like wood) and colors (light ones) that won't heat up as much, or look at tables with large umbrellas.

YOUR SPACE Some furniture is collapsible or can be stacked for storage. Wicker, metal, and wood pieces (the exceptions: cedar and teak) should be kept inside or well covered for the winter; make sure you have the room to store them.

YOUR COMFORT For cushions, look for acrylic or Sunbrella fabric that resists fading, and choose ones that are double-sided so they can be flipped. Ties should be at least 10 inches long.

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istockphoto

September

Perennial Plants

Nurseries want to clear out seasonal stock, but you can plant perennials now for flowers and foliage next spring. Just be on the lookout for:

LEAF DISCOLORATION Yellow means the plant has been overwatered, brown that it's been underwatered, and black spots indicate it's diseased. You may be able to nurse a plant back from the first two, but only if the damage is minimal

INSECT INFESTATION Take a peek under the leaves, and pass up plants that have bugs. Chew marks are the kiss of death — avoid buying from that nursery altogether

SOIL PROBLEMS Check that there isn't mold or fungus (it'll likely appear grayish-white), a sign of disease, growing on the soil

OVERFLOWING POTS No roots should stick out of the bottom. If some do, it means they may be "bound" and the plant will be much less likely to flourish after transplanting

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Philip Friedman

October

Carpeting

Take advantage of fall sales to save a bundle — typically 20% off regular prices

CHOOSE FIBERS BASED ON FOOT TRAFFIC Polyester carpet is plush and lovely in a bedroom, but can't withstand the constant treading a family room or hallway receives. For those rooms, choose nylon in a Berber or short plush style that won't show wear. Wool is easy to clean and long-wearing, and it takes color well. Still, it can be very expensive; if you get a good deal, go for it.

UNDERSTAND THE WARRANTY Surprise: The "comprehensive" warranty may not cover everything. Check the requirements, exemptions, and expiration dates carefully rather than just taking the dealer at her word (she may say that all stains are included, but spots specifically from mustard and acne medication may not be).

CONSIDER GREEN OPTIONS Many manufacturers have polyester carpeting made of recycled fibers from plastic bottles. Shaw Floors, among others, recycles nylon carpet and makes it into new carpet. Such products are just as strong, plush, and colorful as nonrecycled ones, for the same price. Look for the Green Label Plus Indoor Air Quality symbol to verify that the carpet you're considering is low-VOC — and won't emit harmful gases into your home's air.

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Courtesy of Whirlpool

November

Major Appliances

Before your house is full of guests for the holidays, take advantage of sale prices on major appliances

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Make sure to measure the space where your new appliance will go before you head to the store, or you won't know whether that dryer you want will fit in your laundry room.

FORGET FASHION Sure, a stainless refrigerator looks sleek, and we know you've been eyeing those colorful new washing machines, but sticking with a white model will usually save you several hundred dollars.

BE ON THE LOOK-OUT for the federal government's Energy Star label. Appliances with this rating will save energy and cost less to operate — a win-win.

Tools tend to go on sale at the end of the year, just in time to purchase stocking stuffers for the guy in your life. Heading to the hardware store? Check your list twice:

A SOLID FOUNDATION Make sure you've got essential tools before you buy fancier items. A drill can address most basic fix-it tasks; a 9V or 12V model should be fine if you're only tackling small projects.

BUILD UP Starter kits are great for either green fixer-uppers, or seasoned pros whose toolboxes could use an update. Usually, these kits include several tools — like a drill and saw — that run off of the same battery.

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